Sofa bed



R. G. STEIN Oct. 9, 1951 SOFA BED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1948R/CA/ARD G- STE/N INVENTOR- /4/ ATF RAEX R. G. STEIN Oct. 9, 1951 SOFABED 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 12, 1948 N. m 5m .V m m m R x 20 I FW 36f Z fi wl Ms ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICESOFA BED Richard G. Stein, Croton-on-Hudson, N. Y.

Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,745

6 Claims.

This invention relates to sofa beds or studio couches and relates moreparticularly to an improved convertible sofa having an inclined seat andback rest therefor. 7

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel sofa having aseat section which can be quickly and easily moved to horizontalposition when used for sleeping, the seat section being of approvedwidth for sleeping purposes. A back rest is so arranged as to bedisposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat section when the sofa isused for seating purposes, thus reduc-' ing the effective width of theseat section for maximum seating comfort. 7 Means are also provided formoving the back rest to a retracted position clear of the seat sectionconjointly with upward movement of the seat section to horizontalposition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sofa bed of thegeneral character described wherein the seat section is connected byhinge means along its forward edge .to a frame, the rear edge beingsupported by the frame on a somewhat lower plane when the sofa is usedfor seating purposes. When the sofa is to be used for sleeping purposesthe rear edge of the seat section is elevated by the simple expedient ofdepressing a pivoted foot pedal or lever, thus positioning the entireseat section on a horizontal plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel seat back whichis normally disposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat section soas to reduce the overall width of the seat. Novel means are provided,however, for causing the back rest to move rearwardly when such lever isdepressed, thus clearing the full width of the sofa for sleepingpurposes.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel back restsupporting means pivoted below the plane of the seat section and whichalso provides means for supporting the rear edge of the seat sectionwhen the latter is raised to the plane of the front edge.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novelarrangement whereby manual forward movement of the back rest willrelease the rear edge of the seat section for downward travel to itslowered position and also to provide locking means for retaining theback rest in its forward position.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the sofa bed when in position for use asa sofa.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the seat section raised to ahorizontal plane and the back Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation of thelower end of the back rest supporting brackets.

56 tory results.

The sofa bed of the present invention may include a generallyrectangular frame comprising front and rear, longitudinal frame membersI!) and I l and transverse frame members l2 and I 4. Front frame memberI 0 is inclined rearwardly as shown and is provided with a horizontalreinforcing member l3. Transverse members l2 and M are provided withfront and rear leg elements i 5 and 16.

The seat section 20 includes a generally rectangular frame member havingfront and rear longitudinal rails 2| and 22 and transverse rails 23suitably secured together at their terminals. The inner upper edges ofthe frame are rabbeted out as shown at 24 to form a seat for themarginal edges of an upperwall 25 which supports a mattress 26,preferably of foam rubber. The opposed edges of the mattress may havestraps 30 which are provided at their outer ends with fastening means(not shown) which cooperate with complemental fastening means on thelower surface of the frame. The straps hold the mattress in place on thesupport but permit the mattress to be reversed as to position whendesired.

The mattress frame is pivoted along its forward edge on the .base frameby hinge means 3| which may comprise a continuous piano-type hinge.Alternatively, separate hinges at spaced points may be provided.

Rear frame member ll of the base frame is lower than the front framemember H] by the amount of decline necessary for seating purposes. A fewinches will suifice. In this position the rear rail 22 of the mattressframe rests upon rear frame member H as shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

A back rest 32 is formed with a backing member 33 and a cushion member34. It is supported by plural brackets 35 which are hinged at 36 at eachend of the base frame. If desired, a continuous shaft could be provided,the terminals of which support the brackets. It has been found, however,that pivot pins passing into the ends of the rear rail ll givesperfectly satisfac- At its lower end each bracket 35 may have agenerally semi-circular contour as shown at 39. Its upper edge is ofstepped construction and comprises a straight section 40 which is on thesame plane as the lower surface of rear rail 22 of the mattress framewhen the latter is in lowered position.

Forwardly of section 40 is a higher straight section 4|, both sectionsbeing tangent to concentric circles having the axis of pivot 36 as theircenter. These two sections are connected by a radially inclined section42 which forms a shoulder. A forward terminal section 43 has nofunction. If brackets 35 are made from wood'the upper surface of thelower portion including edge sections 4|, 42 and 43 may have a metalfacing 44.

A transverse frame member 45 extends between frame members Ill and IIsubstantially midway between the ends of the base frame.

, A lever 46 having at its forward end a downwardly extending pedal orforward foot-engaging section 50 is pivoted at 5! to the rear of thecenter of frame member 45. The rear terminal .52 .of lever 45 isdisposed under rear rail 22 of the mattress frame. It will accordinglybe seen that as the pedal 50 at the forward end of lever 46 isdepressed, the rear end will raise the rear edge of the mattress frameupwardly from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to that shownin broken lines. Brackets 35 and the back rest .32 carried thereby arepreferably so proportioned as to weight distribution as to cause theassembly to fall rearwardly by gravity when released from the positionof full lines in Figs. 3 and 4. The

back rest assembly is nevertheless retained in this position byengagement of shoulder 42 against the forward edge of rear rail 22 ofthe mattress frame. Forward movement beyond the position in full linesin Fig. 4 is prevented by another shoulder section 53 resting againstthe rearedge of such rail.

The operation of the sofa bed is as follows: When in the full lineposition of Figs. 3 and 4 the back rest 32 is disposed forwardly of therear edge of the seat section by an amount suincient to'cause theeffective width of the seat section to be suitable for seating purposes.The seat section is also suitably inclined for seating comfort due tothe lesser height of rear frame member H. To instantly convert the sofainto a bed the pedal is depressed, raising the rear edge of the mattresssection. This action releases the back rest assembly for rearward travelby gravity to the position shown in broken lines. This action alsocauses straight section 4! of the bracket to underlie the rear rail 22of the mattress frame and support it in the horizontal position. Themattress may then be made up as abed.

When it is desired to reconvert itto a sofa, the back rest is simplymoved forwardly, thus releasing the rear edge of the mattress frame fromits support by edge sections 4 of the brack- I ets. The mattress dropsto the position of full lines in Figs. 3 and 4 and the brackets becomelocked in their forward position.

While one form or embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction andarrangement incidental to a specific application thereof have beendisclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that theinvention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangementof parts, not to its specific embodiment shown herein, but thatextensive deviations from the illustrated form or embodiment of theinvention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

What I claim is:

1. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame, a mattress framehinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frameand normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the baseframe on a lower plane than the front edge, a mattress carried therebyand normally forming a seat cushion, a back rest which is normallydisposed forwardly of the rear edge of the seat cushion, brackets hingedat their lower ends at the rear of the base frame and supporting theback rest at their upper ends,

stop means associated with the brackets normally v,holding the back restin its forward position,

means for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height of thefront thereof, and shoulders carried by the lower ends of the bracketsfor retaining the mattress frame in such elevated position.

2. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame whose upper edge is onan inclined plane with its rear edge lower than its forward edge, amattress support hinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge ofthe base frame and normally supported at its rear edge by'the rear edgeof the base frame, a mattress carried thereby and normally forming aseat cushion, a back rest which normally overlies the rear section ofthe seat cushion, brackets hinged at their lower ends at the rear of thebase frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends, stop meansnormally holding the back rest in its forward position, a manuallymovable lever for raising the rear of the mattress support to a commonheight with the front thereof, and shoulders carried by the lower endsof the brackets forretaining the mattress frame in such elevatedposition.

3. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs andbeing higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress framehinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frameand normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the baseframe, a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, aback rest which normally overlies a portion of the seat cushion invertically spaced relation thereto, spaced brackets hinged at theirlower edges at the rear of the base frame and supporting the back restat their upper ends,

shoulders formed at the lower ends of the brackets which engage themattress frame and normally hold the back rest against rearwardmovement,

a centrally pivoted foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattressframe to the height of the front thereof, and shoulders carried by thelower ends of the brackets upon which the mattress frame is supported insuch elevated position. 7

4. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs andbeing higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress framehinged adjacent its forward edge to the forward edge of the base frameand normally supported at its rear edge by the rear edge of the baseframe,

a mattress carried thereby and normally forming a seat cushion, a backrest which normally over lies a portion of the seat cushion invertically spaced relation thereto, brackets hinged at their lower edgesat the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at theirupper ends, stop means associated with the brackets normally holding thebackrest-in its forward position, a

foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to the height ofthe front thereof and shoulders carried by the lower ends of thebrackets for retaining the mattress frame in such elevated position.

5. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame provided with legs andbeing higher at its forward edge than its rear edge, a mattress frameincluding front and rear rails hinged adjacent its forward edge to theforward edge of the base frame and normally supported at its rear edgeby the rear edge of the base frame, a mattress caried thereby andnormally forming a seat cushion,

a back rest which normally overlies a portion of the seat cushion invertically spaced relation thereto, brackets hinged at their lower edgesat the rear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at theirupper ends, stop means carried bythe brackets which engage the forwardedge of the rear rail to normally hold the back rest in its forwardposition, the weight distribution of the back rest assembly being suchas to cause it to fall rearwardly by gravity upon release of such stopmeans, a foot lever for elevating the rear of the mattress frame to theheight of the front thereof while releasing the brackets for rearwardtravel and shoulders carried adjacent the lower ends of the bracketswhich underlie the rear rail and retain the mattress frame and themattress in a horizontal plane.

6. A convertible sofa bed comprising a base frame whose upper edge is onan inclined plane with its rear edge lower than its forward edge, amattress carried thereby and hinged adjacent its forward edge to theforward edge of the base frame, a back rest which normally overlies therear section of the mattress, brackets hinged at their lower ends at therear of the base frame and supporting the back rest at their upper ends,stop means normally holding the back rest in its forward position, alever for raising the rear of the mattress thereby releasing said stopmeans to permit rearward movement of said back rest and means forretaining the mattress in such elevated position.

RICHARD G. STEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 58,713 Bragg Oct. 9, 18661,028,548 Cromer June 4, 1912 1,149,421 Wilmot Aug. 10, 1915 1,301,835Glenister Apr. 29, 1919 1,335,379 Lee Mar. 30, 1920 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 833,437 France July 18, 1938

